What do you do with an idea?

Yes, we all know the answer– you change the world, of course!

But this week, I’m literally trying to sort out what you do with too many ideas.

I have a “back room” in my house that I’ve dreamt of turning into a well-organized craft room where I could engage in a spiritual practice of creating joyful things from second hand, mostly vintage stuff I’ve collected, some of which is chipped or broken and otherwise headed to the landfill. Often, when I see an object, I immediately start visualizing and imaging the ways in which I can create something beautiful with it. And, I’ve had so many of these ideas that I now have an incredibly messy back room that has overflowed out into my dining room. And all the ideas are just laying around (that’s what they say of “creative” people, right? It’s not a mess, it’s just ideas laying around… or something along those lines.) And the creative process gets stuck.

Well, as it happens, this ADHD group that I signed up for is having a 5 day get sh*t done challenge. I most definitely signed up for it. One small step at a time, I’m conquering the idea mess and getting that room sorted out so that the creation process can start again. Most of what I make goes into my vintage booths at the Lakeland Antique Mall. It certainly feels fulfilling when someone finds enough value in what I’ve made that they buy it and take it home or gift it to someone else. It’s a small way to change the world, but little bits of joy are important.

Of course, that’s just the creative process for all the “cool stuff” I have collected. I have a whole bunch of ideas laying around in my head, too, and it feels as though they’re all jumbled together and unsure about which direction to go so that they become “world changing” and impactful.

For example, I couldn’t figure out what to write about today. I ask myself, what is important and inspiring? What should folks know about?

I want to share about the work I’m doing with the Interfaith Coalition of Polk County (we are meeting at UUCL today at 5 pm!). I want to share about the good work that Red Tent Initiative does for victims of domestic abuse. I want to share with you about the Polk Pride in Faith worship service planning. And, I definitely want to invite our LGBTQ folks to plan our own UUCL Pride Worship service with us (it’s June 11, btw).

And then, I want to find out. I want to find out how you want to engage and cocreate. I don’t minister to this church by myself. Ministering is not the calling of one individual. The work of the divine, of what is sacred, doesn’t just get filtered through me and delivered to you. That’s not how this UU congregation works (and I have a whole lot to say about that– it might get turned into my thesis work for my MA). The work of the divine flourishes through our relationships. We impact the world around us when we create together. Within that is the hope for a more beautiful and just world.

Well, there it is, some of the ideas anyway, getting sorted out on (virtual) paper.

What abundance of ideas do you have laying around (in your house or in your head)? As always, I’d love to hear about them, especially if it helps you to get them out on paper.

Take care and be well!

Heather